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Man died after being held prisoner in “deal that went sour”

A pathologist Promise Ndlovu's death was caused by asphyxiation. Photo: BPM Media

A man died after being held prisoner during a “deal that went sour”, a court heard.

The body of Promise Ndlovu was found in a car park in Charter Street, in Leicester city centre, at 8.25am on October 29 last year.

He was allegedly killed during a confrontation in the nearby Kapital Building and a pathologist said his death was caused by asphyxiation.

Five men are currently standing trial at Nottingham Crown Court in connection with his death.

The events leading to 40-year-old Mr Ndlovu’s death began when he and a group of three other Zimbabwean men visited Leicester from London to negotiate business, said prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones QC.

He explained how these men tried to con the Leicester group with a “black money scam”.

They claimed a vast amount of black paper they had would become real money when treated with a special chemical.

It was claimed this would have been used for a property venture between members of the two groups.

Ndlovu and his associates allegedly claimed a vast amount of black paper they had would become real money when treated with a special chemical. Credit: PA

Ramandeep Dhaliwal, who ran Unitech Builders from the Kapital building, was persuaded to go to London with three of the Zimbabweans to buy the necessary “chemical”.

He went along with £15,000 in cash on the condition that Mr Ndlovu be kept in Leicester “as security” with Kehar Hayer, who was a director of Unitech Builders and co-owned the Kapital Building.

After arriving in London, Dhaliwal was “separated from his cash” in uncertain circumstances.

He rang Hayer to tell him about this, who then asked Kuldeep Singh to help him detain Mr Ndlovu.

At around 12.15am on October 29 last year, a clearly distressed Mr Ndlovu called police to say he was being held against his will.

Prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones QC said both Hayer and Kuldeep Singh “accept that Promise died after a fight in the office".

However, each states that the other was the one involved in the confrontation.

Kehar Hayer, aged 56, of Spencefield Lane, Evington, is accused of the manslaughter of Mr Ndlovu. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

37-year-old Kuldeep Singh of Charter Street, Leicester, faces the same three charges.

Ramandeep Dhaliwal, aged 35, of Spencefield Lane, is charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Two other men, both of Cannon Street, Leicester, face conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.